New Forest garden commission
I recently completed a really enjoyable sculpture commission for a client’s garden in the New Forest — a project that gave me the chance to create a series of ceramic heads designed specifically for an outdoor setting. There’s something very satisfying about making work that becomes part of a garden, where the sculptures slowly settle into the landscape and change with the seasons.
A large head scupted in stoneware clay placed in a bed opposite the front door. we thought the gold grasses perfectly set off the colour of the sculpture
For this commission I made five head sculptures in total. Four of them are standing forms, each with their own character and expression, while the fifth piece is a much larger hollow head designed to sit as a centrepiece on an outdoor table. I liked the idea of the collection feeling connected while still allowing each sculpture to have its own personality.
large hollow female head in black clay made to sit on the garden table
The pieces were made using a variety of different black clays, which gave me the opportunity to play with texture, tone and surface. I’ve always loved working with darker clay bodies because they have such depth and richness, especially outdoors where changing light and weather really bring out the subtle variations in the material. Some surfaces came out smooth and quiet, while others developed a rougher, more weathered quality that feels completely at home in a garden environment.
two black heads, one on a stand to give variety of height, placed in a flower bed complimenting each other perfectly
Because these sculptures are intended to live outside all year round, durability was an important part of the making process. All five pieces were stoneware fired to a high temperature to ensure they are fully frostproof and suitable for permanent outdoor display. I always think outdoor ceramics need to feel robust enough to belong in the landscape — able to handle rain, frost, bright sunshine and everything in between without losing their presence.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this commission was thinking about how the sculptures would interact with the garden itself. Garden sculpture changes constantly depending on the season, the planting around it, and even the time of day. A piece can feel completely different in winter sunlight compared to a damp autumn afternoon. The larger hollow head especially was designed to become part sculpture, part focal point — something that draws people in when gathered around the table outside.
black head on stand sitting in the daffodils
The New Forest felt like the perfect setting for this collection. There’s such a strong sense of atmosphere there — ancient woodland, open heathland, shifting weather — and I wanted the sculptures to feel grounded in that environment rather than separate from it.
Commissions like this are always a reminder of how rewarding it is to make work for a specific place and person. Seeing the finished pieces settled into their new home in my client’s garden was incredibly satisfying, and I’m excited to see how they continue to weather and evolve over time.
If you would like a garden commission please drop me a line on tawny@tawnysculpture.com or call 07814 677589 to discuss
